Analysis

How does Laws and Government discriminate the LGBT communties in Sri Lanka?

State-sanctioned discrimination by criminalization and stigmatization:

Sri Lanka has preserved the colonial articles against sexual misconducts of sexual minorities after
independence. Article 365 stipulated that homosexual acts are illegal and punishable. It states
that ‘voluntarily carnal intercourse with man, woman or animal against the order of nature - imprisonment
for a term which may extend ten years’. Article 365A of the article emphasized that any ‘public and private
acts of gross indecency’ between same sexes are prohibited and criminal. (UNHR 2012) Although the penal codes are seldom enforced in daily practices, criminalization of homosexuality has opened a gateway for the police and anti-homosexual groups to harass and discriminate the LGBT community. The state-sanctioned discrimination also marginalized sexual minorities and stirred up social hostility towards the LGBT community who become more vulnerable to be harassed and discriminated by the society and families(Hindustan Times 2010).

Government of Sri Lanka is hostile towards sexual minorities in Sri Lanka. It often delivered
discriminatory speech and bad media coverage against sexual minorities. For example, the
press council stigmatized lesbians as culprits of sadism and social evil. It is suggested by the
council that criminal rapists should unleashed their sexual desires on lesbians. The discriminative
speeches of government agencies will probably promote moral panic and harassment against sexual minorities.